Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-34819 and S2W-7753 by Iain Gray and Lewis Macdonald on 27 March 2003 and 7 May 2004 respectively, why the information on modern apprenticeships has ceased to be held centrally; when this information ceased to be held centrally, and whether it will now collect the information necessary to monitor the modern apprenticeship scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: This information on modern apprentices has never been held centrally. It has been accessed by ministers on occasion in the past from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise but the most appropriate course of action for members seeking this information is to seek it directly from the enterprise networks.

British Sign Language

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1605 by Ms Margaret Curran on 18 March 2004, what action is being taken to increase access to funding and training in British Sign Language for health care providers.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is taking forward initiatives to improve the accessibility of health care provision for British Sign Language users.

  The health department is currently developing an Equality and Diversity Strategy for the NHS and has entered into a partnership with the Disability Rights Commission Scotland to look at the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act on the NHS. This partnership will support and advise NHS boards in developing a disability strategy which will highlight accessibility issues as part of the approach to delivering patient-centred and responsive services.

Building Control

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what records exist in respect of the number of Building Control inspections that have found that installations did not comply with safety standards.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Building control inspections are specifically for the purpose of deciding whether to grant a completion certificate. Records of completion certificates granted are held by individual local authorities.

Construction Industry

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to combat "cowboy" builders.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive supports the aims of the Construction Licensing Executive (CLE) to combat "cowboy" builders within the domestic market through a licensing scheme.

  The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 will permit certification of work by Approved Certifiers of Construction. It is expected that trade associations which are licensed by the CLE, such as plumbers and electricians, will develop such schemes and approach the new Scottish Building Standards Agency for approval.

Construction Industry

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise the percentage of electrical contracting firms that have enrolled with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Engineering Contracting from the current estimate of 25%.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has had little liaison with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. We liaise regularly with the Scottish Construction Industry Group (SCIG) on issues of concern to the construction industry and the Scottish Construction Forum as they implement a three-year action plan for the industry.

  The Executive supports the aims of the Construction Licensing Executive (CLE) to combat rogue traders within the domestic market through an accreditation scheme. SELECT, the trade association representing electrical contractors in Scotland, is an approved member of the CLE and is taking steps to licence its individual member companies.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Culture Commission intends to address the role of Scots and Gaelic as part of the future of arts in Scotland.

  The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A dh ’ fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba ciamar a tha Coimisean a’ Chultair an dùil àite na Gàidhlig agus na Scots aithneachadh ann an ealain na h-Alba anns an àm ri teachd.

Mr Frank McAveety: The remit for the Cultural Commission was set out in the Scottish Executive’s Cultural Policy Statement on 22 April 2004. It provides that the Commission’s findings will be informed by the diverse cultural and linguistic communities within Scotland, with particular regard to Gaelic language and culture.

  The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  Bha raon-ùghdarrais Coimisean a’ Chultair air a mhìneachadh ann an Cunntas Poileasaidh Cultarach Riaghaltais na h-Alba air 22 Giblean 2004. Tha ullachadh ann airson gun tig am fiosrachadh airson co-dhùnaidhean a’ Choimisein bho na coimhearsnachdan cultair agus cànain eadar-dhealaichte ann an Alba, le aire shònraichte do chultar agus cànan na Gàidhlig.

Employment

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Deloitte and Touche with regard to the selection of workers to be made redundant at TransBus International in Falkirk.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since entering administration matters concerning the day to day operation of TransBus have been the responsibility of the administrators Deloitte and Touche. This includes responsibility for the employees and for establishing redundancy selection criteria. It would therefore not have been appropriate for the Scottish Executive to be involved in discussions regarding the selection of workers being made redundant.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-21028 and S2W-3175 by Mr Jim Wallace and Mr Andy Kerr on 3 January 2002 and 30 October 2003 respectively, whether Scottish ministers have officially led any further UK Delegations to the Council of Ministers and, if so, whether it will provide similar details to those provided in the answer to question S1W-21028.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish Executive ministers have not led any further UK delegations to EU Councils.

Europe

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31063 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 December 2002, which meetings of the European Council it has attended since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The European Council brings together the Heads of State or Government of the European Union and the President of the Commission. The Executive has not attended any meetings of the European Council since 1999.

External Relations

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7936 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 May 2004, whether it will break down by (a) country, (b) year and (c) type the requests it received seeking its support for events outwith Scotland requesting Scottish participation in each year from 1999 to 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: As indicated in my earlier answer, the Scottish Executive receives many requests to support events held overseas. Requests can be directed to various areas of the office, depending on the nature of the event, therefore such detailed information is not held centrally.

Finance

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the definition of "value for money" used in the Scottish Public Finance Manual in respect of procurement policies includes consideration of the costs of greenhouse gas emissions from appliances and energy installations.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Public Finance Manual, which applies to the Scottish Executive, its agencies and non-departmental bodies, states that all procurement of goods and services should be based on value for money, having due regard to propriety and regularity. "Value for money" is defined as the optimum combination of whole-life cost and quality (or fitness for purpose) to meet the user’s requirement.

  Consideration of the costs of greenhouse gas emissions from appliances and energy installations can be taken into account when determining value for money where it is relevant to the subject matter of the contract.

  The Executive has published guidance on sustainable development issues in procurement which emphasises the need for purchasers to take full account of their organisation’s environmental policies and to seek environmentally preferable goods and services wherever they are available, affordable and fit for purpose. For example, over 75% of motor vehicles owned by the Executive are alternatively fuelled and the Executive’s electricity contract specifies that 100% of the electricity used by the Executive comes from renewable sources.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the fisheries budget has been in each year since 1999, showing year-on-year increases and decreases and, for each year, providing details of any element that related to aid schemes for industry such as decommissioning or transitional aid.

Ross Finnie: The following table shows outturn and planned spending on Fisheries in the period 1999-2000 to 2003-04. The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Fisheries Budget makes provision mainly for the Operating and Capital expenditure of the Scottish Fisheries Protection and Fisheries Research Services Agencies and a range of EU and domestic grant schemes in support of marketing and processing and fishery harbours.

  

 
 1999-2000
Outturn
(£ Million)
 2000-2001
Outturn
(£ Million)
 2001-02
Outturn
(£ Million)
 2002-03
Outturn
(£ Million)
 2003-04
Plans
(£ Million)


 Expenditure
 33
 32
 35
 41
 48


 Change on Previous Year
 -
 -1
 +3
 +6
 +7



  These figures exclude agency consumption of cost of capital and capital depreciation. They exclude also the provisions made for the 2001 and 2003 decommissioning schemes and in-year allocations made for the 2003 Transitional Aid package and for a new Fisheries Protection Vessel. Decommissioning expenditure under the 2001 scheme was £3.6 million and £21.2 million in 2001-02 and 2002-03 respectively. For 2003-04, additional in-year provision was made for the Fisheries Decommissioning Scheme (up to £40 million), the Transitional Aid package (up to £10 million) and the new Fisheries Protection Vessel (£18 million). Excluding such exceptional items, provision for the two Agencies typically accounts for over 75% of total Executive expenditure on fisheries. The balance of spending in any year is mainly in respect of awards under the EU Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance and the related domestic back-up grant scheme.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent it considers industrial fishing to be detrimental to commercial stocks caught by the Scottish fishing fleet.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive remains concerned about the level of by-catch in industrial fishing. We are currently working with the Commission in order to develop a more rigorous system for measuring the by-catch of human consumption species in industrial fisheries.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with the Department of Trade and Industry and other government departments in respect of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations relating to the water industry; where such discussions took place; who attended the meetings, and whether it will publish any minutes of such discussions.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has ensured that the UK Government’s representations to the European Union on GATS reflect the Executive’s commitment to retain Scotland’s water services in the public sector. The UK Government has confirmed that no requests have been received for the UK to include water services in future GATS commitments, and that it does not have any intention of pressing for water services to be included.

  The Scottish Executive does not disclose details of exchanges between the Executive and the DTI about GATS, as these fall within the category of information whose disclosure could harm the candour and frankness of discussion between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government (Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, Exemption 2).

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it has ensured that Her Majesty's Government’s representations to the European Union in respect of the General Agreement on Trade in Services reflect the Executive’s commitment to retain Scotland’s public water services in the public sector.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive achieved this outcome by advising the Department of Trade and Industry of the Executive’s commitment to retaining Scotland’s public water services in the public sector.

General Practitioners

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projections are for the number of GPs who will need to be employed directly by NHS boards for the provision of primary medical services.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 places NHS boards under a new duty to provide, or secure the provision of, primary medical services. It is a matter for NHS boards to determine whether or not general medical practitioners will need to be employed directly for the provision of these primary medical services.

  A key factor in reaching such decisions will be how boards intend to re-provide out-of-hours services. They are currently developing their plans in this area and therefore information is not yet available on this matter.

General Practitioners

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of research published in the British Medical Journal concerning the widespread prevalence of prescribing errors caused by computer systems in use at GP surgeries, what steps will be taken to (a) identify which GP practices are affected by prescription errors due to the use of these types of computer systems, (b) ensure that any faults are identified and rectified as expeditiously as possible and (c) ensure that GPs are instructed in the interim not to issue prescriptions, including automatic repeat prescriptions, without first checking in relation to errors and patient risk.

Mr Tom McCabe: The clinical responsibility to prescribe appropriately lies with individual GPs but the IT system support available to them must underpin safe and efficient prescribing behaviour.

  Whilst the British Medical Journal report referred to focused on GP IT systems used in England, and which account for less than 20% of those used in Scotland, the issues identified will be reviewed by the clinical information sub-group of the department’s eHealth programme board. A commentary in the report makes clear, however, that computers already help more effective prescribing and have reduced medication errors by as much as 60% simply by ensuring that prescriptions are legible, complete and in a standard format.

  The department is already working with all GP IT system suppliers active in Scotland on a programme of functionality enhancements, which has been agreed with GP representative bodies, to meet the ongoing needs of NHS Scotland, and which is supplementary to the existing accreditation standards. As part of this process, we will be reviewing the prescribing support arrangements in individual systems and requiring any improvements, which the clinical information sub-group deems to be necessary, to be put in hand.

  At present, as part of the dispensing process, community pharmacists are professionally responsible for checking prescriptions for accuracy, accurate dosage and any potential significant drug interactions before they are dispensed. Additionally, and as part of the migration path towards a new community pharmacy contract, new arrangements are being phased in to give community pharmacists an enhanced role to work with GPs in the management of patients with chronic but stable conditions. These arrangements are intended to improve the effectiveness of current repeat prescription arrangements.

  Once the clinical information sub-group has considered the report, the Chief Medical Officer will write to all GPs to make them aware of the report’s findings and any action required by the Scottish Executive Health Department. In addition, GPs will be encouraged to review their existing prescribing practice on an ongoing basis so that they make best and safest use of their IT system. NHS board prescribing and IT advisers are already in place to help GPs do this.

Marriage

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average total fees charged by a registrar will be (a) for attending a place outside a registry office, including the costs of approving that place, to conduct a marriage ceremony and otherwise processing the marriage application and (b) for authorising a minister of religion to be an authorised celebrant of marriages in Scotland and processing an application for a couple to be married by that minister of religion.

Hugh Henry: The fees for the attendance by a registrar at a place other than a registration office to conduct a civil marriage, and for the approval of that place for civil marriages are not prescribed by the Registrar General for Scotland or the Scottish ministers. The fees are set by each local authority on a cost recovery basis and vary between local authorities according to the circumstances of each local authority and the type of place.

  The average fee for the attendance of a registrar at a place approved for civil marriages on Mondays to Fridays is £154. Similarly, the average fee that would apply to attendance on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays is £210.

  The Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 allows for either a periodic approval of a place (for up to three years) or a temporary approval for a single wedding. The average fee across 32 local authorities is £348. The average fee for a temporary approval is £383.

  There is no fee set in statute or regulations relating to the authorisation of a minister of religion as an approved celebrant. Nor is there a fee for the authorisation of a registrar to conduct civil marriages. However, there are fees which apply nationally that are prescribed by the Registrar General for Scotland with the approval of the Scottish ministers relating to the legal formalities that must be completed for marriage in Scotland, whether a civil marriage or a religious marriage. There is a fee of £20 when each person submits notice of intention to marry. Also, if the couple wish to have an extract from the marriage register (a marriage certificate), the charge is £8.50 per extract. If the couple wish to have a civil marriage, the prescribed fee for the solemnisation of a civil marriage by a registrar is £45. A religious celebrant will often charge a fee to cover his expenses for conducting a religious marriage.

NHS Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7829 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 May 2004, whether there has been an increase in public funding in real terms for capital expenditure in the NHS since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: Yes, there has been a real terms increase of £158 million in public funding for capital expenditure in the NHS since 1997.

NHS Staff

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to initial reports from Agenda for Change early implementers regarding the impact on NHS staff earnings.

Malcolm Chisholm: Initial findings from the early implementer sites in England and the four project sites in Scotland are currently being fed into a UK review of Agenda for Change being carried out in partnership with the relevant trades unions. This review is due for completion this summer.

  We liaise regularly with the four Scottish project sites and members of the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group to address any issues arising from the work they are undertaking.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for the NHS of recent legal rulings regarding the European Working Time Directive that resident on-call time will now be considered as work when calculating junior doctors’ working hours.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive fully supports the Working Time Regulations introduced in 1998. Patient safety is of paramount importance and the Executive wants all doctors in training to enjoy safe working conditions and provide the highest quality of patient care.

  The biggest impact for NHS boards in Scotland will be providing out of hours services in hospitals. Boards are currently looking at different ways of providing safe sustainable, services overnight for example multi-disciplinary mixed skill teams, cross cover, night nurse practitioners.

  We have been working closely with ministers across the UK to put forward a Europe-wide solution to the situation created by the recent legal rulings. On 19 May, the Commission issued a second stage consultation containing proposals to revise the Working Time Directive in light of the judgements.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for newly-qualified paediatric nurses in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on all nursing vacancies is held centrally, however this does not differentiate those vacancies suitable for newly qualified paediatric nurses.

  NHS employers remain responsible for the recruitment and selection procedure within their local area.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for newly qualified nurses in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on all nursing vacancies is held centrally, however, this does not differentiate those vacancies suitable for newly qualified nurses.

  NHS employers remain responsible for the recruitment and selection procedure within their local area.

Nursery Nurses

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its national review of early years will begin and whether it will include the pay and career structure of nursery nurses.

Peter Peacock: The full remit of the review is still being considered and an announcement will be made shortly.

Nursery Nurses

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Minister for Finance and Public Services has had with the Minister for Education and Young People about making resources available in addition to the current Education Department’s budget to support the establishment of a national framework for nursery nurses’ pay and conditions.

Peter Peacock: Local authorities are the employers of nursery nurses and are responsible for their pay and conditions.

Nursery Nurses

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA in relation to the nursery nurses dispute.

Peter Peacock: The Executive is in regular contact with COSLA regarding a range of important issues.

Planning

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7791 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2004, whether it will provide a substantive answer to the question in respect of PFI projects.

Mr Andy Kerr: Guidance on the consideration of the public private partnership procurement route compared to the conventional procurement route is set out in Treasury Taskforce Technical Note No. 5 How to Construct a Public Sector Comparator , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 20725).

Post Office

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful applications have been made under the fund to develop post offices in deprived urban areas, broken down by local authority area.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her reply is as follows:

  Offers have been issued and accepted for 11 grants to sub postmasters under the Fund to Develop Post Offices in Deprived Urban Areas. The breakdown by local authority is as follows:

  


Dundee City Council

3


 Glasgow City Council
 4


 Highland Council
 1


 Scottish Borders Council
 1


 Stirling Council
 1


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 1

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug detection dogs were used by the Scottish Prison Service in each of the last three years and how many days such dogs spent at HM Prison Aberdeen.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is not the policy of the SPS, as a law enforcement agency, to release precise details of the scope or deployment of drug dog interdiction procedures, but to help combat drug trafficking within prisons, SPS has increased operational drug dog deployment at most establishments, including HM Prison Aberdeen.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7832 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 May 2004, why the response in the answer was not provided by the Minister for Justice.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to paragraph 4.4 of the SPS Framework Document , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 8194).

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7813 by Cathy Jamieson on 11 May 2004, whether the same level of performance information will be available for HM Prison Kilmarnock as for other prisons in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. HM Prison Kilmarnock is subject to a separate performance framework set out in its contract. Information on key performance indicators set out in the SPS annual report will continue to cover both HM Prison Kilmarnock and other prisons in Scotland on the same basis.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the costs incurred in each PFI and PPP project since 1999 compare with the capital costs that would have been incurred had each project been funded through traditional procurement methods.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7791 on 10 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search "> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PFI/PPP projects have been refinanced since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: Four public private partnership projects have been refinanced since 1999.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7791 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2004, what research and monitoring it carries out to satisfy itself that approved PPP projects are better value for money than a conventional procurement route over the lifetime of the projects concerned.

Mr Andy Kerr: Value for money is assessed at Outline business case stage and full business case stage. It is for the procuring public sector body to monitor value for money throughout the procurement process.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7781 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2004, how it ensures value for money in public expenditure in the absence of information on costs incurred by each local authority on external consultants and advisers for PFI and PPP projects in each year since 1999.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7789 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2004, how it ensures value for money in public expenditure in the absence of information on the rate of interest paid to lenders by PPP consortia for the provision of capital.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is the responsibility of the procuring public sector body to ensure that the public private partnership procurement route shows value for money compared to a conventional procurement route, taking all relevant costs and benefits into account.

Public Sector

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had into the Atkinson Review on national statistics and what relevance this review will have for Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: Officials within the Executive have met with the Atkinson team, and will be helping them to source the Scottish data for the devolved services as they develop any new measures for the UK as a whole. In parallel, Scottish Executive analysts are considering the wide range of existing measures of public sector activity for Scotland, and will assess the appropriateness of these alongside the conclusions of the Atkinson review.

  We will then be in a position to identify where more sophisticated or different measures are required, with the aim of developing measurements of productivity for the public sector in Scotland which take into account the new UK approach, where appropriate. The Executive considers this to be a very important area of development, and is identifying resources to take it forward, in consultation with a range of external expert advisors.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to monitor any increase in occurrences of ragwort in each year since 1999.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department undertakes an annual review of the level of the problem posed by injurious weeds, including ragwort, by collating information on the complaints received by its network of area offices. At the end of each calendar year, this information is analysed by weed, type of land threatened, whether livestock or horses are threatened, and the action taken. The annual results are compared with information collected for earlier years.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement notices requiring the clearance of ragwort under the Weeds Act 1959 were served in 2003.

Ross Finnie: During 2003, three formal notices were served under the Weeds Act 1959, requiring action to be taken to clear ragwort.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for the non-clearance of ragwort under the Weeds Act 1959 have taken place in each year since 1999 and what percentage was successful.

Ross Finnie: No prosecutions for non-compliance with notices served to control ragwort under the Weeds Act 1959 have taken place since 1999.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the trunk road contract contains a specific requirement for the removal of ragwort by contract holders when it arises in their area of operation and what monitoring controls the Executive has in place to ensure that any occurrence of ragwort is reported to it and removed.

Nicol Stephen: The Trunk Road Maintenance Contracts require the Operating Companies (OCs) to control the weeds specified in Section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 to prevent them developing as infestations or becoming a nuisance. The performance of the OCs in all aspects of the contract, including weed control, is monitored by the Performance Audit Group (PAG). Where PAG identify that the performance of the OCs has fallen below the requirements of their contracts, the OCs are required to take remedial action.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to monitor occurrences of ragwort arising on property under the control of Network Rail and its predecessors in each year since 1999 and how many enforcement notices and prosecutions there have been in each year as a result.

Nicol Stephen: The Weeds Act 1959 places the responsibility for the control of certain weeds, including ragwort, on the occupier of the land. The act also empowers ministers to serve notices requiring the occupier to take action to prevent weeds from spreading. Failure to take action following service of a notice is a criminal offence under the act.

  The responsibility to monitor and manage weeds including ragwort is an operational matter for Network Rail.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to monitor occurrences of ragwort arising on property under the control of Amey Highways Ltd in each year since the trunk road contract was awarded and how many enforcement notices and prosecutions there have been in each year as a result.

Nicol Stephen: Under the Trunk Road Maintenance Contract Amey Highways Ltd is required to identify and treat areas of ragwort within the trunk road boundary to prevent them developing as infestations. The Performance Audit Group, on behalf of the Scottish Executive, monitors and audits Amey’s performance with regard to weed control in the south east and south west units. Appropriate action will be taken by the Scottish Executive when the requirements of the contract with regard to weed control have not been fully met.

  There have been no enforcement notices served under the powers of the Weeds Act 1959 and therefore no prosecutions since the trunk road contract was awarded.

Ragwort

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to monitor occurrences of ragwort arising on property under the control of BEAR Scotland Ltd in each year since the trunk road contract was awarded and how many enforcement notices and prosecutions there have been in each year as a result.

Nicol Stephen: Under the Trunk Road Maintenance Contract BEAR Scotland Ltd is required to identify and treat areas of ragwort within the trunk road boundary to prevent them developing as infestations. The Performance Audit Group, on behalf of the Scottish Executive, monitors and audits BEAR’s performance with regard to weed control in the north east and north west units. Appropriate action will be taken by the Scottish Executive when the requirements of the contract with regard to weed control have not been fully met.

  There have been no enforcement notices served under the powers of the Weeds Act 1959 and therefore no prosecutions since the trunk road contract was awarded.

Renewable Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in community benefits to local communities where wind farms are sited.

Lewis Macdonald: The basis of payment of community benefits in respect of wind farm developments is one of voluntary agreement between the local community and the developer, and the information requested is therefore not held centrally.

Schools

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for consulting parents regarding proposed school closures.

Peter Peacock: The statutory requirements on consultation on proposals to close any school are set out in the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc) (Scotland) Regulations 1981.

Scottish Civic Forum

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding, and other support, it has provided to the Scottish Civic Forum in each year of its operation and what funding, and other support, it will provide to the forum in 2004-05.

Tavish Scott: The Executive has provided core funding to the Scottish Civic Forum as follows:

  


Year

Amount 
  (£000)


 1999-2000
 40


 2000-01
 130


 2001-02
 130


 2002-03
 180


 2003-04
 200


 2004-05
 200



  We also support the Scottish Civic Forum (SCF) through two full-time secondments and awarding contracts for specific pieces of work outside the scope of its core funding agreement. For example, in 2003-04, contracts were awarded worth £12,600 for events to support the Executive’s consultation on Sexual Health Strategy, £3,500 to support a consultation on planning and £8,200 to support the consultation on anti-social behaviour. A contract for £15,000 has been awarded for work in 2004-5 for the consultation on smoking. The SCF’s accounts for 2002-03 included "other SE grants" totalling £5,860.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7432 by Ross Finnie on 4 May 2004, on what date it expects to receive the report on the culls in Glenfeshie.

Ross Finnie: Ministers received the report on 26 May 2004.

Young People

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it will make available to ensure that young people in Wishaw have access to skatepark facilities.

Mr Frank McAveety: Responsibility for ensuring the provision of local leisure facilities such as skateparks lies with local authorities. However, the Executive made available to local authorities Quality of Life funding for the three years to 2005-06 totalling £180 million. This funding was to be committed to projects under two themes, one of which is children and young people. A number of local authorities have committed some of their allocation towards skatepark projects.

  Funding for skatepark facilities is also available from the Lottery Sports Fund administered by sportscotland. Applications for funding are considered against set criteria and other competing bids. Further information on the Lottery Sports Fund can be found on sportscotland’s website at www.sportscotland.org.uk.